Elizabeth Turp is an integrative counsellor working in NHS primary care and private practice on Merseyside in the UK. She has worked as a counsellor for 15 years with various client groups including victims of crime, the homeless, students and GP patients. In 2005 she became ill with CFS/ME and at her worst was unable to work, walk, read or drive. Faced with losing everything, she put her research and health care skills into finding out all she could about the illness and recovered some of her health. She is now writing to pass on what she learned to other people affected by CFS/ME. She loves music, dancing, food, film and being outdoors.
CONTENTS: Acknowledgments. Introduction. Why I have written this book and who it is for. My story. The different levels of CFS/ME: mild, moderate and severe. The whole person: CFS/ME, the body and the mind. 1. What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME? The Different Names for CFS/ME. The Symptoms. Stages of CFS/ME. What does it feel like to have CFS/ME? Why has my friend/relative not discussed this with me? How is it diagnosed? What causes CFS/ME? Treatment and management strategies. Conclusion. 2. CFS/ME and you (the friend of family member). Your reaction to the news. Changes in your relationship with the sufferer. Why it can be easy to say the wrong thing. Common misunderstandings. Support for you (the friend or family member). Conclusion. 3. Supporting your loved one to cope with the symptoms of CFS/ME. Helping with the physical symptoms. Helping with the cognitive symptoms. Helping with the emotional effects. Other factors that make coping with CFS/ME harder. Helping with making positive changes - treatment and management strategies. Preventing relapse and staying stable. Other things that can help. Conclusion. 4. Practical advice on how you can help with everyday life. Personal hygiene. Food and nutrition. Shopping. Mobility and travel. Domestic tasks, DIY and gardening. Money, employment and work. Caring responsibilities. Socialising and communication. Conclusion. 5. The top 10 tips on how you can help. Final note from the author. Resources/Directory of Support. References. Index.
'People with CFS/ME are very much affected by what 'other people' think, say or do. If things don't go well, it is usually because those others don't know or understand, or just don't 'get it', perhaps feeling frightened, threatened or useless. Here is a straightforward and practical resource to fill those knowledge gaps, drawn from both personal experiences and professional insights'.- Professor Tony Pinching, Associate Dean, University of Plymouth, UK.
